An allergist is a fellowship-trained physician with special expertise in the treatment and management of allergic conditions including:

• Hay fever
• Asthma – Childhood and Adult
• Chronic Headaches and Sinusitis
• Eczema
• Hives or Urticaria
• Swelling or angioedema
• Anaphylaxis (life-threatening reactions)
• Drug Allergy
• Insect Sting Allergy
• Frequent and Recurrent Infections

Children and adults with asthma can improve their quality of life and minimize their symptoms by first identifying their triggers and then developing an action plan that includes avoidance measures.

Some common triggers for asthma include:

• House dust mites, animal dander, molds, pollen, cockroach droppings or foods
• Tobacco smoke, which is an irritant that often aggravates asthma
• Bacterial and viral infections such as a common cold and sinusitis
• Strenuous exercise
• Exposure to cold, dry air
• Acid reflux
• Medications such as Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Beta Blockers (blood pressure medications) can cause or worsen asthma
• Certain foods can trigger wheezing in some people
• Emotional anxiety may also increase your asthma symptoms and trigger an attack
• Frequent and Recurrent Infections

Board-certified allergists are specially trained in the management of asthma.

Treatment and Management:

• Identify triggers
• Develop an Asthma Action Plan
• Carefully select medications that are safe and effective
• Partner with the patient, family and other care givers so that everybody is on board
• Follow-up once your asthma is controlled and reevaluate periodically to make sure the medications are helping
• Well managed asthma and your ability to participate in routine activities without limitation is our goal

By visiting an allergist, you can expect an accurate diagnosis, a treatment plan that works and educational information to help you manage your disease.

(Information only; not intended to replace medical advice; adapted from AAAAI)

Hay fever is a common condition affecting about 50 million children and adults.

You may be suffering from hay fever if you have the following:

• Runny, itchy, puffy or dry eyes
• Headaches or sinus pain
• Scratchy, sore throat or a drip
• Runny, stuffy nose, sneezing
• Fatigue, waking up at night or missing work or school
• Limiting social activities or exercise because of allergies

Allergists have specialized training and will help identify which allergens are causing your symptoms and then discuss treatment options with you. These options include plans for avoiding allergens, taking medications, and allergy shots or immunotherapy.

(Information only; not intended to replace medical advice; adapted from AAAAI)

Benefits of Allergy Testing:

Allergy tests, when combined with the specialization and precision of your allergist to interpret them, can give accurate information about your allergy. Allergy testing is a fairly safe and accurate procedure for both adults and children. Skin testing is done with plastic devices (no needles) testing for a variety of trees, grasses, weeds, molds and indoor allergies like dust mites, cats and dogs. On the other hand, skin testing is also done for more serious allergies caused by venom from stings of bees, wasps, fire ants, yellow jackets and other similar insects.

Skin Testing:

Skin testing is the most common way of performing an allergy test. It involves a small prick with a plastic device on the skin surface to deliver a very small amount of allergen and is relatively painless. In individuals with allergy to that particular introduced agent, a little swelling will occur. In such patients, these reactions typically occur within 15 minutes and often disappear within 30 minutes. However, if these skin tests are negative, but your physician suspects allergies, he or she may recommend the more sensitive intradermal test which involves injection of a small amount of allergen within the skin. These skin tests are done in your Allergist’s office to allow for observation and management in case of rare adverse effects.

Skin testing done in the allergist’s office is highly reliable. Allergists have unique training in the interpretation and management of individuals with allergies.

(Information only; not intended to replace medical advice; adapted from AAAAI)

Allergy shots are a series of injections that are given to build-up tolerance and desensitize a person to various pollens and allergens like cat, dog dust mites and molds. The goal is to reduce symptoms, reduce amount of medication used to control symptoms and improve quality of life.

There are safe accelerated programs called “cluster immunotherapy and rush immunotherapy” that help to achieve maintenance levels more rapidly.

Children are believed to derive potentially greater benefit from immunotherapy, due to the potential of allergy shots to prevent progression to more severe disease and allergic asthma. For this reason, therapy should be started early in children (5-7 years).

Allergists are fellowship-trained and have great expertise in providing allergy shots or immunotherapy, treating allergic reactions and monitoring progress while on allergy shots.

(Information only; not intended to replace medical advice; adapted from AAAAI)

30 million adults in the US suffer from sinusitis every year. Sinusitis is a condition where the sinuses, tiny pockets above and below your eyes become painful, swollen, stuffed or “feel full”. Extra mucus secretions are produced which get infected producing thick discolored discharge from the nose. Other symptoms include fever, headaches, fatigue, bad breath and toothache.

Repeated sinus infections that last more than three months result in chronic sinusitis. Chronic sinusitis is a more complicated condition and can be due to several causes.

Your allergist can help to create a prompt and accurate management plan to help relieve and resolve the condition.

(Information only; not intended to replace medical advice; adapted from AAAAI)

Hives or “urticaria” are itchy, red bumps that affect up to 20% of people at some point in their lives. These hives typically start over minutes, spread and can join to form large areas that disappear only to appear in other areas over a few hours. When these bumps occur in the deeper layers under the skin surface they can cause swelling of the areas (typically the face, hands, feet). This condition is called “angioedema.” Sometimes this spreads to the tongue and throat causing serious symptoms like choking and difficulty breathing.

Acute hives are hives that occur for less than six weeks.

Chronic hives occur almost daily for longer than six weeks.

Hives can be uncomfortable, frustrating because they are intermittent and interfere with sleep, work or school. Since they can occur on the face and exposed areas, they can affect the way you look and alarm people with concerns of a contagious condition.

Allergists are fellowship-trained and have specialized experience in the management of hives and angioedema (swelling). We can help reduce the discomfort and create an effective plan tailored to control hives and angioedema.

(Information only; not intended to replace medical advice; adapted from AAAAI)

Eczema is a condition affecting about 11% of children in the US and is slightly more common in girls than boys. The skin is typically red, dry, intensely itchy and scaly. It can affect babies, children and even adults. The rash is extremely uncomfortable and frequently flares-up making the condition worse. Children frequently are irritable due to intense itching and the constant scratching ending-up with scratch-marks and bleeding. Infections tend to occur frequently in the affected areas complicating the condition. Foods can make the eczema flare making the condition worse.

Allergists are fellowship-trained with expertise in the management of eczema. The right care can make the difference between suffering with an allergic disease and feeling better. By visiting an allergist, you can expect an accurate diagnosis, a treatment plan that works and educational information to help you manage your disease.

(Information only; not intended to replace medical advice; adapted from AAAAI)

Contact or irritant contact dermatitis occurs when the skin comes in direct contact with a substance that physically, mechanically, or chemically irritates the skin, causing the normal skin barrier to be disrupted. The most common causes of irritant dermatitis are products used on a daily basis, including soap, cleansers, and rubbing alcohol. People with other skin conditions, dry skin, and light-colored or “fair” skin are at greatest risk, although anyone can develop irritant dermatitis.

Mild irritants cause redness, dryness, fissures (small cracks), and itching. Strong irritants may cause swelling, oozing, tenderness, or blisters. The hands are commonly affected, often between the fingers. Irritant dermatitis can also affect the face, especially the thin skin of the eyelids.

The diagnosis of irritant contact dermatitis is usually based upon a person’s history and physical examination. In some cases, a patch test (applying a small amount of a substance to the skin) may be recommended to determine the condition.

Allergists are trained in the evaluation and treatment of contact dermatitis and can help in the prevention and management of these conditions.

(Information only; not intended to replace medical advice; adapted from AAAAI)

Food allergy is a harmful reaction that occurs when a person eats, breathes or touches particular foods. These reactions result due to the foods being treated as harmful or foreign by the body’s immune system thus deciding to attack these foods. The results are serious reactions which can include severe intestinal upsets with nausea and vomiting, skin rashes with hives and facial swelling, breathing difficulties, feeling faint and even passing out.

Any food can cause an allergic reaction but shellfish, fish, peanuts and tree nuts cause the most serious reactions.

An allergist is the best qualified professional to diagnose a food allergy. Testing performed by an allergist often helps determine if foods are causing your symptoms.

(Information only; not intended to replace medical advice; adapted from AAAAI)

When an insect bites you, it uses its mouth parts. When an insect stings you, it uses a special “stinger” on the back of its body.

Biting insects usually bite other people and animals, too. When they bite you, they can transfer blood from their other victims to you. That means that they can infect you with the diseases their other victims have. Mosquitoes, for example, can carry a few infections. And certain types of ticks can infect you with the germ that causes Lyme disease.

Stinging insects, such as bees, wasps, and fire ants, do not usually carry disease. But stinging insects can inject you with venom that can irritate your skin. Plus, insect stings can be deadly to people who are severely allergic to the insect venom.

An allergist is the best physician to diagnose stinging insect allergy and provide a treatment plan designed to keep you safe and healthy.

(Information only; not intended to replace medical advice; adapted from AAAAI)

Virtually any drug has a potential to cause an allergic reaction. Most allergic reactions occur within hours to two weeks after taking the medication and most people react to medications to which they have been exposed in the past. This process is called “sensitization.” However, rashes may develop up to six weeks after starting certain types of medications.

The most serious of the allergic reactions is called “Anaphylaxis”. Most anaphylactic reactions occur within one hour of taking a medication or receiving an injection of the medication, but sometimes the reaction may start several hours later. Anaphylaxis can result in death, so it is important to seek immediate medical attention if you experience these symptoms.

Antibiotics, chemotherapy drugs and certain newer medications called monoclonal antibodies cause the most anaphylaxis reactions.

Other drug reactions can be a side effect from various medications but do not have the same risk as an allergic reaction.

It is important to differentiate a true allergic reaction from and adverse reaction. This can help prevent unneeded avoidance of medically useful drugs. The right care can make the difference between suffering with an allergic disease and feeling better. By visiting an allergist, you can expect an accurate diagnosis, a treatment plan that works and educational information to help you manage your disease.

An allergist is the best physician to diagnose a drug allergy and provide a treatment plan designed to keep you safe and healthy.

(Information only; not intended to replace medical advice; adapted from AAAAI)

Natural rubber latex has steadily grown to be a major concern for those persons being exposed to latex on a regular basis like healthcare workers and in the rubber industry.

Reactions can start with skin rashes from the contact but can easily escalate to hives, respiratory symptoms and dizziness.

An allergist is the best physician to determine if you are allergic to latex and provide a treatment plan designed to keep you safe and healthy.

(Information only; not intended to replace medical advice; adapted from AAAAI)

In a challenge test to determine allergies, a very small amount of an allergen is inhaled or taken by mouth. Challenges are done mostly with potential food or medication allergies. It is very important that they be supervised by an allergist / immunologist, often referred to as an allergist. An allergist has advanced training and experience in order to accurately and safely test and diagnose an allergic condition.

(Information only; not intended to replace medical advice; adapted from AAAAI)

Anaphylaxis (an–a–fi–LAK–sis) is a serious allergic reaction that typically comes on quickly and may cause death. This medical emergency requires immediate treatment and then follow-up care by an allergist / immunologist, often referred to as an allergist.

Symptoms of anaphylaxis include rapidly progressing hives, intense itching, sneezing fits, coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath, violent intestinal upsets, dizziness and passing out. If left untreated this condition is fatal.

Allergists are trained in identifying the triggers, creating effective plans and in prevention of episodes.

(Information only; not intended to replace medical advice; adapted from AAAAI)

A food challenge is a structured, carefully charted plan in introducing a suspected food with very small quantities and steadily increasing the dose until a normal meal-sized portion is eaten.

Since there is a risk of an allergic reaction to the food, the person should be closely monitored for a few hours. Food challenges are an effective way of verifying foods that would needlessly be withheld from a person’s diet.

Allergists have specialized training and experience in performing food challenges.

(Information only; not intended to replace medical advice; adapted from AAAAI)

Spirometry is a type of breathing test to help assess whether the lungs are blowing out air appropriately. Children as young as 5 years up to adults can do the test. The test is simple, reliable and the results are readily available.

Spirometry is an important tool that can help allergists assess the severity of respiratory conditions and help tailor the right course of treatment.

(Information only; not intended to replace medical advice; adapted from AAAAI)